Boozy Christmas Fruit Cake

[Eleanor Rose]

I know. I know. Some folks really dislike fruitcake. They would take a sledgehammer to it if they could. Others really like it and enjoy it year after year. Here's a boozy recipe that might turn the haters into lovers. I think @nitrofd, @Jimklag, @captaindrew, @7th Mississippi Infantry, @LoriAnn, @Cavalry Charger, @Northern Light and @Waterloo50 may like this. I know @Southern Unionist does!

http://www.flourishingfoodie.com/2012/12/boozy-christmas-fruit-cake.html

Source: Flourishing Foodie, December 18, 2012

 

[Jimklag]

View attachment 169717

I know. I know. Some folks really dislike fruitcake. They would take a sledgehammer to it if they could. Others really like it and enjoy it year after year. Here's a boozy recipe that might turn the haters into lovers. I think @nitrofd, @Jimklag, @captaindrew, @7th Mississippi Infantry, @LoriAnn, @Cavalry Charger, @Northern Light and @Waterloo50 may like this. I know @Southern Unionist does!


Boozy Christmas Fruit Cake (makes 2 regular sized loaf cakes)

Ingredients:

1 cup glace/candied red cherries

1 cup glace/candied green cherries

1 cup citron peel

2 cups Thompson raisins

2 cups golden raisins

2 cups pitted dates, chopped

1/2 cup brandy or rum + extra for basting

2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

5 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp mace

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the candied cherries, citron peel, raisins, and dates. Add the brandy or rum. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours - stirring periodically.

Once you are ready to make, grease the loaf pans with butter and line with parchment paper so that the cakes are easy to remove once baked.

Reposition the oven rack to the middle and preheat the oven to 275ºF.

Toss the fruit with 1/2 cup of the flour.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the granulated sugar on low-med speed until light and fluffy - 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and mix until combined.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Beat in the vanilla and almond extract until combined.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining flour, baking soda and spices with a wire whisk.

Add the flour to the fruit mixture and mix thoroughly on low speed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Place the loaf pans in the oven and bake for 3 to 3 ½ hours. Insert a toothpick after 3 hours. If it comes out clean, the cakes are done.

Let the cakes cool for 30 minutes in their pans, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

When the cakes are cool, wrap them in cheesecloth and brush with brandy or rum to dampen the entire cheese cloth. Place the cakes in a plastic bag, and let sit for up to a month. The longer you let the cake soak in the rum or brandy, the more flavor is will have. When the cheese cloth looks dry, brush the cakes with more brandy or rum. Can be eaten 2 days after baking and stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Source: Flourishing Foodie, December 18, 2012

I am a member of the fruitcake fan club. This recipe looks great.

 

[captaindrew]

View attachment 169717

I know. I know. Some folks really dislike fruitcake. They would take a sledgehammer to it if they could. Others really like it and enjoy it year after year. Here's a boozy recipe that might turn the haters into lovers. I think @nitrofd, @Jimklag, @captaindrew, @7th Mississippi Infantry, @LoriAnn, @Cavalry Charger, @Northern Light and @Waterloo50 may like this. I know @Southern Unionist does!


Boozy Christmas Fruit Cake (makes 2 regular sized loaf cakes)

Ingredients:

1 cup glace/candied red cherries

1 cup glace/candied green cherries

1 cup citron peel

2 cups Thompson raisins

2 cups golden raisins

2 cups pitted dates, chopped

1/2 cup brandy or rum + extra for basting

2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

5 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp mace

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the candied cherries, citron peel, raisins, and dates. Add the brandy or rum. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours - stirring periodically.

Once you are ready to make, grease the loaf pans with butter and line with parchment paper so that the cakes are easy to remove once baked.

Reposition the oven rack to the middle and preheat the oven to 275ºF.

Toss the fruit with 1/2 cup of the flour.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the granulated sugar on low-med speed until light and fluffy - 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and mix until combined.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Beat in the vanilla and almond extract until combined.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining flour, baking soda and spices with a wire whisk.

Add the flour to the fruit mixture and mix thoroughly on low speed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Place the loaf pans in the oven and bake for 3 to 3 ½ hours. Insert a toothpick after 3 hours. If it comes out clean, the cakes are done.

Let the cakes cool for 30 minutes in their pans, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

When the cakes are cool, wrap them in cheesecloth and brush with brandy or rum to dampen the entire cheese cloth. Place the cakes in a plastic bag, and let sit for up to a month. The longer you let the cake soak in the rum or brandy, the more flavor is will have. When the cheese cloth looks dry, brush the cakes with more brandy or rum. Can be eaten 2 days after baking and stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Source: Flourishing Foodie, December 18, 2012

Love it!!!

 

[donna]

I do enjoy Fruitcake. My Granny made the best. I have her recipe posted in the forum along with many recipes for fruitcake.

I get it when I can. I don't make anymore as my husband is not allowed any nuts. So try to have it when out or at a Christmas get together.

If it is a moist fruitcake with all the proper ingredients, it can be delicious.

 

[Eleanor Rose]

I do enjoy Fruitcake. My Granny made the best. I have her recipe posted in the forum along with many recipes for fruitcake.

I get it when I can. I don't make anymore as my husband is not allowed any nuts. So try to have it when out or at a Christmas get together.

If it is a moist fruitcake with all the proper ingredients, it can be delicious.

I thought you might be a fruit cake fan Donna! I've learned over the years that preparation is definitely the key.

 

[CMWinkler]

If you can find it, orange brandy makes a good addition, adding flavor as well as the alcohol.

 

[Eleanor Rose]

I am a member of the fruitcake fan club. This recipe looks great.

Basting it is key.

 

[Jimklag]

Basting it is key.

Sorry for this diversion, but every time I think of basting I think of Kramer using butter as a sun tan oil.

 

[LoriAnn]

grease the loaf pans with butter

I'll have to remember this particular step if I try the recipe. I do NOT want my fruitcake getting stuck!

 

[captaindrew]

Sorry for this diversion, but every time I think of basting I think of Kramer using butter as a sun tan oil.

 

[Jimklag]

grease the loaf pans with butter

Food lube.

 

[LoriAnn]

Food lube.

If a couple of car guys had a show on Food Network, they'd use this terminology, I bet.

Okay everyone, I see mace is in there. I've never used it. Is it like pepper? (I'll go Google it too, but I thought I'd ask here as well.)

 

[Jimklag]

If a couple of car guys had a show on Food Network, they'd use this terminology, I bet.

Okay everyone, I see mace is in there. I've never used it. Is it like pepper? (I'll go Google it too, but I thought I'd ask here as well.)

Mace is the outer covering of the nutmeg seed. It is ground into a powdery spice.

 

[donna]

Lori Ann I just brought up thread on Mace. As I wrote many spices have their own thread.

 

[JOHN42768]

Fruit Cake Rocks

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Here it is @LoriAnn. Thanks @donna!

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/or-maybe-history-of-mace-and-nutmeg.75723/#post-515646

 

[nitrofd]

In my opinion fruitcake makes a good weapon to throw at someone.

 

[LoriAnn]

Do some people only have fruitcake at Christmas? Because I'm looking over the recipe, and with all that sugar, all those wonderful spices, and those cherries, why not have it year round?

 

[Schwallanscher]

View attachment 169717

I know. I know. Some folks really dislike fruitcake. They would take a sledgehammer to it if they could. Others really like it and enjoy it year after year. Here's a boozy recipe that might turn the haters into lovers. I think @nitrofd, @Jimklag, @captaindrew, @7th Mississippi Infantry, @LoriAnn, @Cavalry Charger, @Northern Light and @Waterloo50 may like this. I know @Southern Unionist does!

http://www.flourishingfoodie.com/2012/12/boozy-christmas-fruit-cake.html

Source: Flourishing Foodie, December 18, 2012

i now need to determine whether i feel insulted for not being mentioned

 

[MaryDee]

Very similar to mine (for which I've lost the recipe), except for the dates (I would leave them out and substitute a cup of seeded raisins (with seeds removed) and a cup of chopped walnuts. Mine also had about that many eggs and also required soaking the fruit and nuts in the booze 24 hours beforehand. After baking (supposed to be done ~6 weeks before Christmas), I soaked cheesecloth in more brandy and wrapped the cake in it (dripping; don't wring out the cheesecloth). Then I covered with plastic wrap and stored it in the refrigerator until a day or two before Christmas, when I brought it out to room temperature. I served it flaming for Christmas dinner, with hard sauce, and we ate fruitcake (I usually steamed the slices) for weeks afterwards.